EP3757041A1 - Method for configuring a planar drive system - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for configuring a planar drive system (1), the planar drive system (1) having several adjacent stator modules (60) for driving at least one rotor (2), with at least two stator modules (60) each facing outer edges (100) ) and thereby there is a spatial proximity (30) between the at least two stator modules (60), the stator modules (60) each having conductor strips (20) for generating a magnetic field and each having magnetic field sensors (15) for detecting a magnetic field, with the following Steps: - output of a first control signal in a first output step to at least one transmission stator module (10) of the stator modules (60), the first control signal including that at least one conductor strip (20) is to be energized in the transmission stator module (10); - determining a neighborhood relationship (30) between the transmitting stator module (10) and a receiving stator module (14) of the stator modules (60) in a first determination step (210), the first control signal and a positive first detection signal being taken into account when determining the neighborhood relationship (30), the positive first detection signal including that at least one magnetic field sensor (15) of the receiving stator module ( 14) has detected a magnetic field.

Description

The invention relates to a method for configuring a planar drive system, a control unit, a computer program and a planar drive system.

This patent application claims the priority of the German patent application DE 10 2019 117 424.4 of June 27, 2019 , the disclosure content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Planar drive systems can be used, among other things, in automation technology, in particular production technology, handling technology and process technology. By means of planar drive systems, a movable element of a plant or machine can be moved, positioned and oriented in at least two linearly independent directions. Planar drive systems can comprise a permanently excited electromagnetic planar motor with a planar stator and a rotor that is movable in at least two directions on the stator.

In the German patent application DE 10 2017 131 304.4 of December 27, 2017 , published as DE 10 2017 131 304 A1 A planar drive system is disclosed in which a rotor can be moved over several stator modules arranged next to one another. Drive magnetic fields are generated by means of conductor strips in the stator modules and interact with permanent magnets in the rotor in such a way that the rotor can be held floating above the stator modules or driven by a traveling magnetic field, which can also be referred to as a traveling magnetic field. The traveling field can be generated over the edge of a stator module to an adjacent stator module. A position of the rotor can be determined by means of magnetic field sensors in the stator modules, with which the permanent magnetic field of the rotor can be evaluated.

In order to generate the traveling magnetic field over the edge of the stator module to the adjacent stator module, the position of the two stator modules must be known, the position including the position and orientation of the adjacent stator modules to one another. In a planar drive system, for example, a manual configuration can be carried out in which a position within the planar drive system is manually recorded for each stator module and stored in a memory. You can use these manually recorded positions then the traveling field can be generated beyond the edges of the stator modules by controlling the stator modules on the basis of the information stored in the memory. The disadvantage of a manual configuration is that it is very time-consuming and, moreover, it is very easy for errors to occur in the acquisition and storage of the positions, especially when it is a very large planar drive system with a large number of stator modules.

One object of the present invention is to provide an automated configuration method with which the positions of the stator modules relative to one another can be determined without manual inputs. Another object of the invention is to specify a control unit and a computer program for performing the method, as well as a planar drive system with such a control unit.

These objects are achieved by the method, the control unit, the computer program and the planar drive system of the independent patent claims. Further developments are given in the dependent claims. The present invention is based on the idea of supplying current to conductor strips of the stator modules and of determining the magnetic field generated thereby by means of magnetic field sensors of other stator modules in order to determine proximity relationships between the stator modules.

For the general structure of stator modules and rotors, stator segments and conductor strips as well as energizing the conductor strips in order to hold a rotor over a stator surface by means of magnetic fields generated by the energization of the conductor strips or to drive it by means of a traveling field, please refer to the description of the German patent application DE 10 2017 131 304.4 , in particular to the description of the Figures 1 , 2 , 10 , 11 and 12 referenced. With regard to these aspects, the disclosure content of the German patent application DE 10 2017 131 304.4 of December 27, 2017 expressly incorporated into the present patent application by reference. With regard to the design of the conductor strips as coil conductors, see the description of the German patent application DE 10 2017 131 326.5 , published as DE 10 2017 131 326 A1 , in particular to the description of the Figures 4 to 11 referenced. With regard to these aspects, the disclosure content of the German patent application DE 10 2017 131 326.5 of December 27, 2017 expressly incorporated into the present patent application by reference. Regarding the magnetic field sensors and their arrangement within the stator modules, please refer to the description of the German patent application DE 10 2017 131 320.6 , published as DE 10 2017 131 320 A1 , in particular to the description of the Figures 4 and 5 referenced. Regarding this Aspects will be the disclosure content of the German patent application DE 10 2017 131 320.6 of December 27, 2017 expressly incorporated into the present patent application by reference.

A planar drive system has several adjoining stator modules for driving rotors, the stator modules each having conductor strips for generating a magnetic field and each having magnetic field sensors. In each case at least two stator modules have outer edges facing one another, as a result of which there is a spatial relationship between the at least two stator modules. One method for automatically configuring the planar drive system includes the following steps. Initially, a first control signal is output in a first output step to a transmitting stator module of the stator modules. The first control signal includes that at least one conductor strip is to be energized in the transmitter stator module. A proximity relationship between the transmitting stator module and a receiving stator module of the stator modules is then ascertained in a first ascertainment step. When determining the neighborhood relationship, the first control signal and a positive first detection signal are taken into account, the positive first detection signal including that at least one magnetic field sensor of the receiving stator module has determined a magnetic field.

A magnetic field is generated by energizing the conductor strip of the transmitting stator module. This magnetic field can be detected by magnetic field sensors of the receiving stator module, whereupon the positive first detection signal is output by the receiving stator module. Based on the positive first detection signal, the proximity relationship between the transmitting stator module and the receiving stator module can be determined. This means that a control unit that carries out the method now knows that the transmitting stator module and the receiving stator module are adjacent. Provision can be made for the energization to take place in such a way that the generated magnetic field does not exceed a maximum value for the magnetic field strength in order to ensure that the generated magnetic field can only be measured by magnetic field sensors adjacent to the transmitting stator module. The positive first detection signal is assigned to the receiving stator module from which it was sent in order to determine the neighborhood relationship. The conductor strip can be designed as a coil conductor and be part of a three-phase system.

With the specified method, the time-consuming and error-prone manual configuration of the planar drive system can be dispensed with, since the proximity relationship determined by the method can be used, a traveling magnetic field from one To generate stator module to an adjacent stator module in such a way that a rotor can move from the stator module to the adjacent stator module.

In one embodiment, the method is repeated until all neighborhood relationships between all stator modules have been determined. The stator modules can be designed or function alternately, one after the other or at the same time as transmitting stator modules and also as receiving stator modules. In this case, further first control signals can be output to further stator modules currently designed as transmitting stator modules and further positive first detection signals can be taken into account. As soon as all neighborhood relationships have been determined, a topography of stator modules is known, on the basis of which the runners of a planar drive system can be moved, whereby the movement of the runners can be controlled in such a way that the runners do not move beyond an edge of the topography, i.e. an outer limit of the planar drive system will.

In one embodiment of the method, the determined proximity relationships between the stator modules and thus the topography of the planar drive system are stored in a reference table. This reference table can then contain, for example, the following information for each stator module: a stator module identification designation; the number of edge areas of the stator module; the stator module identification designations of the stator modules to which a neighborhood relationship has been determined; the position, location and / or orientation of the stator modules with a neighborhood relationship in relation to their own position, location and / or orientation of the stator module; determined external limits of the planar drive system; a network address (for example an EtherCAT address) of the stator module. The list of information for the reference table is exemplary and not exhaustive. Of course, more or less or different information can also be stored in the reference table.

In one embodiment of the method, the stator modules are connected to one another for data purposes via a communication bus. The first control signal and the first positive detection signal are part of a telegram or several telegrams of a communication bus. This provides efficient communication between the stator modules and a control unit that carries out the method.

In one embodiment of the method, an identification telegram is sent to the stator modules before the first control signal is sent out via the communication bus sent, the stator modules being assigned a stator module identification designation based on the identification telegram. For example, if the communication bus is based on EtherCAT or includes EtherCAT, this can be done using the auto-increment addressing provided in EtherCAT. With auto-increment addressing, each stator module can be addressed based on its position in the communication structure. Auto-increment addressing is usually only used in a startup phase in which a bus master distributes station addresses to slaves, which are the stator modules here. The stator modules can then be addressed regardless of their position in the communication structure. This procedure offers the advantage that no stator module identification designations have to be set manually for the stator modules. Subsequent insertion of stator modules does not have to lead to new stator module identification designations for the already existing stator modules.

In one embodiment of the method, individual or a plurality of stator modules of the planar drive system are connected to a respective communication path of the communication bus in a line topology. The communication path has an uninterrupted communication link. The stator modules of a communication path form a spatially closed area with a continuous stator surface of the planar drive system. The planar drive system can have one or more communication paths of the communication bus. In the case of very large planar drive systems in particular, it may be necessary to split the communication between a controller and the stator modules over several communication paths, since otherwise, due to processing times and possibly processing delays, the cycle times of a control cycle of the planar drive system could no longer be adhered to and the system not working. By dividing the communication paths into different communication paths, the communication between the controller and the stator modules can be parallelized, so that individual telegrams have to take a shorter circulation path, which leads to shorter circulation times.

In one embodiment of the method, the neighborhood relationships within the communication path are first determined for each communication path of the communication bus. For this purpose, a first stator module of the communication path is initially defined as a transmitting stator module and a second stator module of the communication path is initially defined as a receiving stator module. The first stator module can be the stator module with the smallest stator module identification designation within the communication path. The second stator module can do that Be the stator module with the next higher stator module identification designation within the communication path. The first control signal includes energizing at least one first conductor strip of the conductor strips in a first edge region of the transmitting stator module. The first positive detection signal is determined when a magnetic field triggered by the first control signal is measured by means of the magnetic field sensors of the receiving stator module. The neighborhood relationship is thus determined as the first neighborhood relationship along the first edge region of the transmitting stator module between the transmitting stator module and the receiving stator module of the stator modules. If no magnetic field triggered by the first control signal is measured by means of the magnetic field sensors of the receiving stator module, consequently no first proximity is determined along the first edge region of the transmitting stator module between the transmitting stator module and the receiving stator module of the stator modules. If the first proximity relationship is not determined, further first control signals are output one after the other in such a way that further first conductor strips of the conductor strips are energized in further first edge areas of the transmitting station module until a first neighborhood relationship between the transmitting station module and the receiving stator module has been determined or there are no further first edge areas of the transmitting station module are. After the first neighborhood relationship has been determined, the second stator module is defined as the new transmitting stator module and a third stator module of the communication path is defined as the receiving stator module. The third stator module can be the stator module with the next higher stator module identification designation within the communication line. The method is repeated until a stator module of the communication path that terminates the communication path is defined as the receiving stator module and thus no further proximity relationships between the stator modules of the communication path can be determined. The final stator module can be the stator module with the one with the highest stator module identification designation within the communication path.

If no positive first detection signal of the stator module adjacent within the communication path is determined, it can be assumed that the relevant stator modules are adjacent within the communication structure, but not spatially adjacent. A new first control signal can then be output to the stator module that is adjacent within the communication structure, but not spatially adjacent, and the method can be carried out again based on this non-adjacent stator module. The result is another partial area of the stator surface. Through the method described are thus within of a communication path, all neighborhood relationships between the stator modules are automatically recorded one after the other and can be stored accordingly in the reference table. The respective stator module can, for example, have a rectangular design, in particular rectangular or square. The stator module then has four edge regions which are assigned to four side edges of the stator modules. When determining the first neighborhood relationship, by energizing conductor strips in only one edge area, it is possible to determine which of the edge areas the further stator module is adjacent to. In this case, further first control signals can be output for the further edge areas of the stator module in order to determine further first neighborhood relationships. This enables efficient rasterization of the topography of the stator surfaces within the one communication path. By assigning the magnetic field sensors at least partially to the edge areas of the stator modules, a position of the receiving stator module relative to the transmitting stator module can be determined based on the strength of the magnetic field measured by means of the magnetic field sensors. The strength of the magnetic field can also include that only the magnetic field sensors in an edge area of the receiving stator module react to the magnetic field generated on the basis of the first control signal or measure this magnetic field. As a result, a relative rotation of the stator modules to one another can be determined and taken into account in the first neighborhood relationship. This makes it possible, for example, if the receiving stator module later functions as a transmitting stator module and thus conductor strips of the stator module are to be energized in order to determine further first neighborhood relationships, to leave out the edge area in which the magnetic field was measured when determining the first neighborhood relationship, since this is already known that a stator module is adjacent.

In one embodiment of the method, the planar drive system has a plurality of communication paths, each of which forms a stator module unit. In each case at least two stator modules of different stator module units have outer edges facing one another, as a result of which there is a spatial unit neighborhood relationship between the at least two stator module units. To determine the location and the position of the unit-neighborhood relationship or the unit-neighborhood relationship, one stator module unit is defined as the transmitting stator module unit and another stator module unit is defined as the receiving stator module unit. A second control signal is output in such a way that the first conductor strips and / or the further first conductor strips of the conductor strips in a first edge area and / or a further first edge area of the transmission stator modules of the transmission stator module unit are energized one after the other in the transmission stator module unit, for those within the respective Communication path no neighborhood relationship was determined. A second positive detection signal is determined when a magnetic field triggered by the second control signal is measured by means of the magnetic field sensors of the receiving stator modules of the receiving stator module unit and the unit neighborhood relationship between the transmitting stator module unit and the receiving stator module unit of the stator module units is determined. If no magnetic field triggered by the second control signal is measured by means of the magnetic field sensors of the receiving stator module unit, no unit neighborhood relationship is determined between the transmitting stator module unit and the receiving stator module unit of the stator module units. The process is repeated until all unit neighborhood relationships between the stator module units of the planar drive system have been determined. The method is also carried out for other stator modules of the communication bus. With the method described, after the neighborhood relationships within a communication path have been determined, all unit neighborhood relationships between the stator module units are automatically recorded one after the other and can be stored accordingly in the reference table. This enables all neighborhood relationships to be recorded in a two-stage process. Two stator modules can be adjacent within the communication structure or a communication path if the data transmission is designed such that telegrams of the communication bus can be transmitted directly from one of the stator modules to the other of the stator modules. If this transmission takes place by means of data cables, the cabling can take place at least partially within the planar drive system in such a way that spatially adjacent stator modules are also adjacent within the communication path. A significantly more efficient method for configuring the planar drive system can now be provided, since the first control signal can be output to the first stator module in the communication path and, at the same time, the magnetic field generated thereby can be determined by the second in the communication path and thus also spatially with great probability Stator module can be done. The information about the communication path of the stator modules thus facilitates the determination of the corresponding neighborhood relationships. After the first proximity relationship has been determined, it is therefore known that there is a partial area of the stator surface consisting of the first stator module and the second stator module.

In one embodiment of the method, the second control signal includes that all first conductor strips and / or further first conductor strips in a first edge area and / or a further first edge area of the transmitter stator modules of the Transmitting station module units are energized for which no neighborhood relationships have been determined within the communication path. Thus, with a plurality of stator modules within a communication path, current is supplied not only to one edge area, but also to a plurality of edge areas at the same time, which leads to a more rapid determination of the unit neighborhood relationships. To save even more time, the method can also be carried out in parallel in several communication paths.

In one embodiment of the method, the first control signal includes energizing at least one conductor strip in a first edge region of the transmitting stator module. The magnetic field sensors are at least partially assigned to edge areas of the stator modules. On the basis of the strength of the magnetic field measured by means of the magnetic field sensors, the positive first detection signal is determined and thus the proximity relationship, as well as a location and position of the receiving stator module relative to the transmitting stator module, is determined. Thus, in just one step, not only the neighborhood relationship, but at the same time also the position, location and / or orientation of the two stator modules to one another is recorded and the information can be stored in the reference table. The strength of the measured magnetic field can also be a simple "signal received" or "signal not received" and does not have to go beyond a certain threshold value for signal strength.

In one embodiment of the method, the first control signal includes energizing at least one first conductor strip of the conductor strips in a first edge region of the transmitting stator module. The first positive detection signal is determined when a magnetic field triggered by the first control signal is measured by means of the magnetic field sensors of the receiving stator module and the neighborhood relationship is thus determined as the first neighborhood relationship. If no magnetic field triggered by the first control signal is measured by means of the magnetic field sensors of the receiving stator module, correspondingly no first proximity relationship between the transmitting stator module and the receiving stator module of the stator modules is determined. After determining or not determining the first neighborhood relationship, further first control signals are output one after the other in such a way that further first conductor strips of the conductor strips are energized in further first edge areas of the transmitting station module until either further neighboring relationships to further receiving stator modules have been determined or not determined or no further ones first edge areas of the transmitter stator module are available.

In one embodiment of the method, the planar drive system has a plurality of stator modules, one stator module functioning as a transmitting stator module and all further stator modules functioning simultaneously as receiving stator modules. The first control signal includes energizing at least one first conductor strip of the conductor strips in a first edge region of the transmitting stator module. The first positive detection signal is determined when a magnetic field triggered by the first control signal is measured using the magnetic field sensors of one of the receiving stator modules and the neighborhood relationship is thus determined as the first neighborhood relationship between the transmitting stator module and the measuring receiving stator module. If no magnetic field triggered by the first control signal is measured by means of the magnetic field sensors of the receiving stator modules, the outer edge assigned to the first edge area of the transmitting stator module is determined as the outer boundary of the planar drive system. Advantageously, the method is first repeated for the other first edge areas of the transmitting stator module until all neighborhood relationships or outer boundaries have been determined for the transmitting stator module, with another stator module of the planar drive system then acting as the transmitting stator module and all other stator modules simultaneously acting as receiving stator modules, and the method is repeated until all neighborhood relationships or external borders have been determined for all stator modules. The topography of the stator surfaces consisting of neighborhood relationships and external borders can thus be determined very quickly and easily for the entire planar drive system.

In one embodiment of the method, the determined neighborhood relationships or external borders of the planar drive system are stored in parallel in a reference table. Thus, the determination of the neighborhood relationships or outer edges only needs to be carried out for the stator modules whose neighborhood relationships or outer edges have not yet been determined or result from the determined neighborhood relationships or outer edges of other stator modules. For example, if four stator modules are physically arranged in a square, it is sufficient to record three neighborhood relationships. The fourth neighborhood relationship arises automatically from the location and orientation and the information regarding the neighborhood relationships, without this having to be determined using the method described. This procedure again saves time in the automatic configuration of the planar drive system.

In one embodiment of the method, the first control signal comprises a predetermined frequency, a predetermined current intensity and / or a predetermined duration of energization, the energizing of the conductor strips with the predetermined frequency, Current strength and / or duration takes place and the first detection signal is evaluated with regard to the predetermined frequency, current strength and / or duration. A further improvement of the method can thereby be achieved. If several strings are examined in parallel, different frequencies, currents and / or durations can be used in order to exclude undesired interference and to clearly assign the magnetic fields determined. Analogously, the second control signal can also include a predetermined frequency, a predetermined current intensity and / or a predetermined duration of energization, the energizing of the conductor strips with the predetermined frequency, current intensity and / or duration and the second detection signal with regard to the predetermined frequency, current intensity and / or or duration is evaluated. A further improvement of the method can thereby be achieved.

In one embodiment of the method, the predetermined frequency is between two hundred hertz and two thousand hertz. This frequency range is suitable both for a transmission of the raw data of the measured magnetic fields and an evaluation with regard to the frequency in the control unit and for an evaluation in the stator modules. In the latter case it can be provided that the specified frequency is also transmitted to further stator modules in order to be able to carry out the evaluation.

The invention further comprises a control unit with a computing unit and a communication connection, wherein control signals can be output via the communication connection and detection signals can be received via the communication connection. The computing unit is set up to carry out one of the methods according to the invention.

The invention further comprises a computer program, comprising program code, which, executed on a computing unit, causes the computing unit to carry out the method according to the invention.

The invention further comprises a planar drive system with a plurality of stator modules, at least one rotor and the control unit.

Fig. 1

ein Planarantriebssystem;

Fig. 2

einen Läufer;

Fig. 3

einen Statoraufbau;

Fig. 4

eine elektronische Verschaltung von Leiterstreifen;

Fig. 5

eine Anordnung von Statormodulen mit Leiterstreifen und Magnetfeldsensoren;

Fig. 6

eine weitere Anordnung von Statormodulen mit Leiterstreifen und Magnetfeldsensoren;

Fig. 7

ein Planarantriebssystem mit Strängen von Statormodulen;

Fig. 8

ein Planarantriebssystem mit Strängen von Statormodulen;

Fig. 9

eine Aufteilung einer Statoroberfläche mehrerer Statormodule in Teilflächen;

Fig. 10

eine zusammengesetzte Statoroberfläche; und

Fig. 11

ein Ablaufdiagramm eines Konfigurationsverfahrens.

The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments and with reference to figures. They each show a schematic representation

Fig. 1

a planar propulsion system;

Fig. 2

a runner;

Fig. 3

a stator structure;

Fig. 4

an electronic interconnection of conductor strips;

Fig. 5

an arrangement of stator modules with conductor strips and magnetic field sensors;

Fig. 6

another arrangement of stator modules with conductor strips and magnetic field sensors;

Fig. 7

a planar drive system with strands of stator modules;

Fig. 8

a planar drive system with strands of stator modules;

Fig. 9

a division of a stator surface of a plurality of stator modules into partial areas;

Fig. 10

a composite stator surface; and

Fig. 11

a flow chart of a configuration process.

Fig. 1 shows an isometric view of a planar drive system 1 consisting of a rotor 2 and a square stator module 60. Additional stator modules 60, not shown, can be provided in addition and arranged adjacent to the stator module 60. As will be described in detail below, the stator module can be designed or function both as a transmitting stator module 10 and as a receiving stator module 14 when implementing the method according to the invention. The stator module 60 has four stator sectors 11 which form a common stator surface 12. Conductor strips 20, which can be energized, are arranged within the stator sectors 11. By energizing the conductor strips 20, a magnetic field can be generated above the stator surface 12, which can interact with magnet units, for example in the form of permanent magnets, of the rotor 2 such that the rotor 2 is held above the stator surface 12 and generated by means of a conductor strip 20 Wanderfelds can be moved. The stator module 60 has outer edges 100 which can face other stator modules of the planar drive system 1.

Fig. 2 shows the runner 2 of Fig. 1 in an isometric view from below. The runner 2 has on a runner bottom 3, which in Fig. 1 facing the stator surface 12, four magnet units 4, each of which can comprise an arrangement of permanent magnets.

Fig. 3 FIG. 13 shows a stator assembly 13 used in stator module 60 of FIG Fig. 1 can be provided. The conductor strips 20 are arranged in a first conductor strip plane 21, a second conductor strip plane 22, a third conductor strip plane 23 and a fourth conductor strip plane 24, which are each parallel to one another. An x-axis 101 and a γ-axis 102 of a coordinate system are arranged parallel to the first conductor strip plane 21, a z-axis 103 is arranged perpendicular to the first conductor strip plane 21. The stator structure 13 has a first edge region 25 and further first edge regions 26. The conductor strips 20 of the first conductor strip plane 21 and the third conductor strip plane 23 are arranged parallel to the x-axis 101. The conductor strips 20 of the second conductor strip plane 22 and the fourth conductor strip plane 24 are arranged parallel to the γ-axis 102. As an alternative to displaying the Fig. 3 It is also possible for only the first conductor strip level 21 and the second conductor strip level 22 to be provided, or additional conductor strip levels. The conductor strips 20 can serve to generate a magnetic field with which the rotor 2 of Fig. 1 and 2 can be held above the stator surface 12 of the first conductor strip plane 21. The stator structure 13 is divided into four stator sectors 11, the conductor strips 20 within the stator sectors 11 being able to be supplied with current individually.

For the general structure of the stator modules 10 of Fig. 1 and the stator assembly 13 of Fig. 3 is also referred to the description of the German patent application DE 10 2017 131 326.5 of December 27, 2017 , in particular to the description of FIGS. 4 to 11, reference is made.

Fig. 4 shows a circuit diagram of a stator sector 11 consisting of a first conductor strip plane and a second conductor strip plane, which is analogous to Fig. 3 can be designed. The conductor strips 20 are each connected to form three-phase systems. In the first edge region 25, first conductor strips 31 are joined together in such a way that two conductor strips 20 each form a coil 33. The six first conductor strips 31 form three coils 33, which are connected to one another via a star point 27. A first connection 41 is connected to one of the coils 33. A second connection 42 is connected to one of the coils 33. A third connection 43 is connected to one of the coils 33. The coils 33 are designed so that a Current introduced via the first connection 41 flows through the associated coil 33 to the star point and is divided there between the two other coils 33 in order to then flow away via the second connection 42 or the third connection 43. The interconnection of the first conductor strips 31 to form the coils 33 is designed in such a way that the magnetic fields formed by the current flows within the coils 33 are strengthened. As a rule, the current flowing through the first connection 41 is evenly divided at the star point 27, so that a current intensity at the second connection 42 or at the third connection 43 is half a current intensity at the first connection 41. Further first conductor strips 32 in a further first edge region 26 are interconnected analogously to coils 33.

In the Fig. 3 Third conductor strip level 23 or fourth conductor strip level 24, which is also provided, can be analogous to that in FIG Fig. 4 interconnection shown.

For energizing the coils 33, reference is also made to the description of the German patent application DE 10 2017 131 326.5 of December 27, 2017 , in particular to the description of the Figures 8 to 10 , referenced.

Fig. 5 FIG. 11 shows a schematic view of a stator module 60, which is designed or functions as a transmitting stator module 10, and a stator module 60, which is designed or functions as a receiving stator module 14, whose conductor strips are each as shown in FIG Fig. 3 and 4th shown can be configured. The first conductor strip level 21 is shown for the transmitter stator module 10. For the receiving stator module 14, no conductor strips are shown, but an arrangement of magnetic field sensors 15. The magnetic field sensors 15 can be arranged below the conductor strips 20, for example. In principle, the transmitting stator module 10 and the receiving stator module 14 can be designed identically or analogously. In order to determine a first neighborhood relationship 7 between the transmitting stator module 10 and the receiving stator module 14, the method described below can be carried out. First of all, a first control signal is output to the transmitting station module 10 in a first output step. The first control signal includes that a conductor strip 20 is to be energized in the transmitter stator module 10. It can be provided that the first conductor strips 31 in the first edge region 25 are supplied with current, so that a magnetic field is generated in the first edge region 25. The first proximity relationship 7 between the transmitting stator module 10 and the receiving stator module 14 is then determined in a first determination step 210. When determining the first neighborhood relationship, 7 will be the first control signal and a positive first detection signal are taken into account. The positive first detection signal includes that at least one magnetic field sensor 15 of the receiving stator module 14 has determined a magnetic field. Due to the energization of the first conductor strips 31 in a first edge area 25 of the transmitting stator module 10, the magnetic field is recorded in a second edge area 28 of the receiving stator module 14, so that in addition to the first proximity relationship, the relative position and orientation of the two stator modules 60 to one another is determined immediately. since it can be evaluated which edge areas of the individual stator modules 60 adjoin one another. The method can be used to configure a planar drive system 1. The method is based on using the magnetic field sensors 15 of the receiving stator module 14 to measure a magnetic field generated by energizing conductor strips 20 of the transmitting stator module 10 and to determine the first proximity 7 therefrom. As a result, the method can run automatically, in contrast to a manual input of the relative positions of the two stator modules 60 to one another.

In particular, the magnetic field sensors 15 arranged in a second edge region 28 of the receiving stator module 14 can be used to determine the positive first detection signal. The second edge region 28 of the receiving stator module 14 faces the transmitting stator module 10.

Fig. 6 FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of a planar drive system 1 with four stator modules 60. The four stator modules 60 are designed as before for FIGS Figures 1 to 5 described. In a first method step, one of the stator modules 60 functions as the transmitting stator module 10 and three stator modules 60 as the receiving stator modules 14, the conductor strips of which are as shown in FIG Fig. 3 and 4th shown can be configured. The first conductor strip level 21 is shown for the transmitter stator module 10. For one of the receiving stator modules 14, no conductor strips are shown, but a possible arrangement of magnetic field sensors 15. For the other two receiving stator modules 14, neither a first conductor strip plane 21 nor magnetic field sensors 15 are shown for reasons of clarity. To determine the neighborhood relationships 30 of the stator modules 60, it can be provided that one of the stator modules 60 initially function as the transmitting stator module 10 and the other stator modules all function simultaneously as the receiving stator modules 14. On the basis of the first control signal, the first conductor strips 31 in the first edge region 25 of the transmitting stator module 10 are energized and accordingly generate a magnetic field. All magnetic field sensors 15 of the three receiving stator modules 14 are evaluated simultaneously to determine whether they are detecting the magnetic field. The signals of the magnetic field sensors 15 (not shown in part) of the receiving stator modules 14 are also evaluated in this way and the neighborhood relationship 30 is determined as the first neighborhood relationship 7 by evaluating from which of the further stator modules 14 the magnetic field generated by energizing the conductor strips 20, in particular in which second edge area 28 of the receiving stator modules 14 the magnetic field is measured. Thus, with regard to the location, orientation and position, there is a clear first proximity relationship 7 between the transmitting stator module 10 and the receiving stator module 14, in the second edge region 28 of which the magnetic field was detected. In the exemplary embodiment shown, this would be the receiving stator module 14 at the bottom left.

After the first neighborhood relationship 7 has now been determined in the planar drive system 1, in one embodiment the method is repeated until, in addition to the first neighborhood relationship 7, further neighborhood relationships 30 between the stator modules 60 have also been determined. For this purpose, for example, the stator module 60, in whose second edge area 28 the magnetic field was detected, in the illustrated embodiment that would be the receiving stator module 14 at the bottom left, is defined as the transmitting stator module 10 and all other stator modules 60 of the planar drive system 1 function as receiving stator modules 14 If the neighborhood relationship 7 has already been determined, a magnetic field is no longer generated in the second edge region 28, but in other first edge regions of the transmitting stator module 10. Thus, by repeating the method, 2nd to nth neighborhood relationships 30 between individual stator modules 60 can be determined.

If a first positive detection signal is not detected in any of the receiving stator modules 14 when a first edge area 25 of a transmitting stator module 10 is energized, it can be provided in one embodiment that this first edge area 25 is determined as the outer boundary of the planar drive system 1.

The determined neighborhood relationships 30 and / or external borders can be stored in a reference table.

Fig. 7 shows an isometric view from below of a planar drive system 1 consisting of six stator modules 60 and a control unit 5. The stator modules 60 form two communication paths 50, which are divided into two physical strands, a first strand 51 and a second strand 52, of stator modules 60, with FIG a first stator module 61, a second stator module 62 and a third stator module 63 are arranged on each of the communication paths 50. The stator modules 60 are connected within the communication paths 50 by means of individual cables 6. The control unit 5 has a computing unit 18 and two communication ports 19. A cable 6 leads from the communication connections 19 of the control unit 5 to each of the communication paths 50, this cable 6 leading to the first stator module 61. A cable 6 leads from the first stator module 61 to the second stator module 62, a cable 6 leads from the second stator module 62 to the third stator module 63.Alternatively, a wireless connection of the stator modules 60 to the control unit 5 is also possible, with wireless communication paths 50 would give.

The stator modules 60 can be participants in a communication bus, the control unit 5 being able to send telegrams to the stator modules 60 or receive them from the stator modules 60. The telegrams can contain, for example, the first control signal already described and / or measured values of the magnetic field sensors. The communication bus can include EtherCAT, for example, and the telegrams can be designed according to the EtherCAT protocol.

If only the first control signal is output to one of the stator modules 60, this can be carried out via the cables 6 and optionally via the communication bus. For example, the first control signal can include that the first stator module 61 of the first strand 51 is to energize conductor strips 20 in a first edge region 25. The first stator module 61 then functions as a transmitting stator module 10. The first edge region 25 here faces the second stator module 62 of the first strand 51. The positive first detection signal can now be output by the second stator module 62 of the first strand 51, on the basis of which the control unit 5 determines the first proximity 7 between the first stator module 61 and the second stator module 62 of the first strand 51. The second stator module 62 of the first strand 51 serves as a receiving stator module 14. Another first control signal can be output to the first stator module 61 of the first strand 51, this time including that the first stator module 61 of the first strand 51 is in a further first edge area 26 Conductor strip 20 is to be energized. The further first edge region 26 faces the first stator module 61 of the second strand 52. The positive first detection signal can now be output by the first stator module 61 of the second strand 52, on the basis of which the control unit 5 determines a further proximity 9 between the first stator module 61 of the first strand 51 and the first stator module 61 of the second strand 52. The first stator module 61 of the second strand 52 serves as a receiving stator module 14.

The configuration method described in the previous paragraph can be used regardless of whether the stator modules 60 are arranged in communication paths 50 or not. In the event that the stator modules 60 are arranged in communication paths 50, the invention comprises a more efficient configuration method, which is described below.

Are the first stator module 61 and the second stator module 62 within a communication structure of the communication bus as in FIG Fig. 7 shown adjacent, ie part of the first strand 51 or of the second strand 52, the first control signal can include energizing a conductor strip 20 in a first edge region 25 of the first stator module 61 of the first strand 51. The first detection signal is positive when a magnetic field triggered by the first control signal is measured by means of the magnetic field sensors of the second stator module 62 of the first strand 51 and negative when the magnetic field triggered by the first control signal is not measured by the magnetic field sensors of the second stator module 62 of the first strand is measured. In the in Fig. 7 In the case illustrated, the first detection signal is therefore positive, since the first edge region 25 faces the second stator module 62 of the first strand 51. The first neighborhood relationship 7 can be determined by the positive first detection signal.

If the first control signal had been such that in the first stator module 61 of the first strand 51, for example, conductor strips 20 in the further first edge area 26 facing the first stator module 61 of the second strand 52 would have been energized, the second stator module 62 of the first would have Strand 51 does not measure the magnetic field triggered thereby. In this case, further first control signals would then have been output such that, for example, conductor strips 20 in the first edge area 25 or in further first edge areas 26 of the first stator module 61 of the first strand 51 would have been energized. Only by energizing the conductor strips 20 in the first edge area 25 is the magnetic field triggered thereby measured by the magnetic field sensors of the second stator module 62 of the first strand 51, so that only then is a positive first detection signal present. If there are no further first edge areas 26 of the first stator module 61 of the first strand 51, i.e. conductor strips 20 have been energized on all sides of the first stator module 61 of the first strand 51 and there is still no positive first detection signal, it can be assumed that the first stator module 61 of the first strand 51 and the second stator module 62 of the first strand 51 are not arranged adjacent.

In one embodiment, after determining the first neighborhood relationship 7, a second control signal is output to the second stator module 62 of the first strand 51, which includes energizing a conductor strip 20 in a second edge area 28 of the second stator module 62 of the first strand 51. The second stator module 62 of the first strand 51 then functions as a transmitting stator module 10. A second detection signal is received by the third stator module 63 of the first strand 51, the third stator module 63 and the second stator module 62 being adjacent within a communication structure of the communication bus, i.e. both parts of the first strand 51 are. The third stator module 63 serves in this case as receiving stator module 14. The second detection signal is positive when a magnetic field triggered by the second control signal is measured by means of the magnetic field sensors of the third stator module 63 of the first strand 51 and negative when the magnetic field triggered by the second control signal is not measured by means of the magnetic field sensors of the third stator module 63 of the first strand 51. In the event of a positive second detection signal, a second proximity 8 is determined between the second stator module 62 and the third stator module 63 of the first string 51. In the event of a negative second detection signal, further second control signals are output such that further conductor strips 20 in further second edge areas 29 of second stator module 62 of first strand 51 are energized until either a positive second detection signal is present or no further second edge areas 29 of second stator module 62 of the first strand 51 are present.

During the determination of the first neighborhood relationship 7, the first stator module 61 thus serves as the transmitting stator module 10 and the second stator module 62 as the receiving stator module 14. During the determination of the second neighborhood relationship 8, the second stator module 62 serves as the transmitting stator module 10 and the third stator module 63 as the receiving stator module 14.

Within the first strand 51, the third stator module 63 is a terminating stator module 75. The terminating stator module 75 is that which is arranged in the communication path 50 furthest away from the control unit 5. It can be provided that the method is repeated until the final stator module 75 is designed as a receiving stator module 14, since no further neighborhood relationships are now to be expected within the communication path 50.

The method is based on the assumption that adjacent stator modules 60 in the communication structure are also spatially adjacent and so the magnetic field sensors 15 of all other stator modules 60 do not have to be evaluated. when conductor strips 20 in a stator module 60 are energized, but only the stator module 60 adjacent in the communication structure or communication path 50. This allows the method to be carried out efficiently. Since the first neighborhood relationship 7 is already known in the second stator module 62 of the first strand 51, a maximum of three corresponding control signals must be output; on average, the second neighborhood relationship 8 is determined after two second control signals have been output. Spatially adjacent can also include the fact that there is a gap with a predetermined maximum gap width between the adjacent stator modules.

In one exemplary embodiment, the method is carried out for further stator modules 60 of the communication bus.

In one embodiment, an identification telegram is sent to the stator modules 60 before the first control signal is sent out, the stator modules 60 being assigned a stator module identification designation on the basis of the identification telegram. This can take place, for example, within the communication paths 50 and can be carried out independently of one another for the first strand 51 and the second strand 52. If the communication bus is based on EtherCAT or includes EtherCAT, this can be done by means of the auto-increment addressing provided in EtherCAT. With auto-increment addressing, each stator module 60, for example the first strand 51, can be addressed on the basis of its position in the first strand 51. Each stator module 60 increments a 16-bit address field during a telegram cycle; the stator module 60 is addressed and receives an address field with the value 0. If, for example, the third stator module 63 of the first strand 51 is to be addressed, a telegram with auto-increment addressing with a start value of two is sent. The start value is incremented by one (or minus one) by each stator module 60 and the third stator module 63 of the first strand 51 is thus addressed. Auto-increment addressing is generally only used in a startup phase in which a bus master, which can be assigned to the control unit 5, distributes station addresses to slaves, which are the stator modules 60 here. The stator modules 60 can then be addressed independently of their position in the communication structure or communication path 50. This procedure offers the advantage that no stator module identification designations have to be set manually for the stator modules 60. A subsequent insertion of stator modules 60 does not lead to new stator module identification designations of the already existing stator modules 60.

In one embodiment, the method explained for the first thread 51 is also used in the second thread 52 or in further communication paths 50.

Fig. 8 shows an isometric view of a planar drive system 1 consisting of six stator modules 60, a rotor 2 and a control unit 5, the arrangement of the stator modules 60 in FIG Fig. 7 corresponds. The stator modules 60 are as in FIG Fig. 7 arranged in a first strand 51 and a second strand 52 of three stator modules 60, a first stator module 61, a second stator module 62 and a third stator module 63. The control unit 5 is connected to the stator modules 10 by means of cables 6. The rotor 2 can be moved above the stator surfaces 12 of the stator modules 10.

In one embodiment, at least one stator module unit 80 is determined, the stator module unit 80 each consisting of a communication path 50 of stator modules 60, the stator modules 60 of the communication path 50 having an uninterrupted connection within the communication bus and the stator modules 60 of the communication path 50 being a spatially closed area 16 with a continuous stator surface 17. In Fig. 8 What is shown is a first stator module unit 81 which comprises the first strand 51 and a second stator module unit 82 which comprises the second strand 52.

In one embodiment, a plurality of stator module units 80 according to the method described above in connection with FIG Fig. 7 described method determined. At this point in time, however, it is not yet known how the stator module units 80 are spatially arranged with respect to one another. After the stator module units 80 have been determined, unit neighborhood relationships 79 are determined by sending out second control signals. In Fig. 8 a unit neighborhood relationship 79 between the first stator module unit 81 and the second stator module unit 82 is illustrated. This can be determined, for example, by outputting a second control signal to the first stator module 61 of the first strand 51, the stator module 61 then functioning as a transmitting stator module 10 and energizing conductor strips 20 and the magnetic field generated thereby by magnetic field sensors 15 of the first stator module 62 of the second Strand 52 is measured. The unit neighborhood relationship 79 between the stator module units 80 is thus determined. This part of the method works similarly to the determination of the neighborhood relationships 30 within the communication paths 50. Alternatively, the second control signals can also be output in such a way that all conductor strips 20 within the first stator module unit 81 for the no neighborhood relationship 30 have yet been determined. Thus, all stator modules 60 of the first stator module unit 81 function as transmission stator modules 10 and form a transmission stator module unit. All further stator module units 80 then function as receiving stator module units. This part of the method also functions in a similar way to the determination of the neighborhood relationships 30 within the communication paths 50, but now entire edge areas of the stator module units 80 are appropriately energized and evaluated. A shape of the stator module units 80 can be taken into account. In one embodiment, the method is carried out in a plurality of communication paths 50 in parallel.

In one embodiment, the first control signal comprises a predetermined frequency, a current intensity and / or a duration of the energization, the energization of the conductor strips 20 of the stator modules 60 taking place with the predetermined frequency, current intensity and / or duration and the first detection signal with regard to the predetermined frequency, Current strength and / or duration of the energization is evaluated. The specified frequency can be between two hundred hertz and two thousand hertz. It can be provided that the evaluation with regard to the frequency is carried out by the control unit 5 or carried out by the stator modules 60.

Fig. 9 shows a planar drive system 1 consisting of several stator module units 80, each of which includes a number of stator modules. A first stator module unit 81 comprises a first stator module 61, a second stator module 62, a third stator module 63, a fourth stator module 64, a fifth stator module 65, a sixth stator module 66, a seventh stator module 67, an eighth stator module 68 and a ninth stator module 69, which form a first line 51 and thus a communication path 50. The ninth stator module 69 is a stator module 75 terminating the first strand 51. A second stator module unit 82 comprises a first stator module 61, a second stator module 62, a third stator module 63, a fourth stator module 64, a fifth stator module 65, a sixth stator module 66 and a seventh stator module 67, which form a second strand 52 and thus a communication path 50. As indicated by an arrow, the sixth stator module 66 of the second stator module unit 82 is located adjacent to the fifth stator module 65 and the seventh stator module 67 of the second stator module unit 82, and not as in FIG Fig. 9 Shown directly adjacent to the seventh stator module 67 of the first stator module unit 81. The seventh stator module 67 is a stator module 75 closing off the second strand 52. A third stator module unit 83 comprises a first stator module 61, a second stator module 62, a third stator module 63, a fourth stator module 64, a fifth stator module 65, a sixth stator module 66, a seventh stator module 67, an eighth stator module 68, a ninth stator module 69, a tenth stator module 70 and an eleventh stator module 71, which form a third strand 53 and thus a communication path 50. The eleventh stator module 71 is a stator module 75 that terminates the third strand 53. A fourth stator module unit 84 comprises a first stator module 61, a second stator module 62, a third stator module 63, a fourth stator module 64, a fifth stator module 65, a sixth stator module 66 and a seventh stator module 67, which form a fourth strand 54 and thus a communication path 50. The seventh stator module 67 is a stator module 75 that completes the fourth strand 54. A fifth stator module unit 85 comprises a first stator module 61, a second stator module 62, a third stator module 63, a fourth stator module 64, a fifth stator module 65, a sixth stator module 66, a Seventh stator module 67, an eighth stator module 68 and a ninth stator module 69, which form a fifth strand 55 and thus a communication path 50. As indicated by an arrow, the first stator module 61 of the fifth stator module unit 85 is located adjacent to the second stator module 62 of the fifth stator module unit 85, and not as in FIG Fig. 9 shown directly adjacent to the sixth stator module 66 of the fourth stator module unit 84. The ninth stator module 69 is a stator module 75 terminating the fifth strand 55. A sixth stator module unit 86 comprises a first stator module 61, a second stator module 62, a third stator module 63, a fourth stator module 64, a fifth stator module 65, a sixth stator module 66, a seventh stator module 67 and an eighth stator module 68, which form a sixth strand 56 and thus a communication path 50. The eighth stator module 68 is a stator module 75 terminating the sixth strand 56. A seventh stator module unit 87 comprises a first stator module 61, a second stator module 62, a third stator module 63, a fourth stator module 64 and a fifth stator module 65, which have a seventh strand 57 and thus form a communication path 50. A sixth stator module 66 is also arranged in the seventh strand 57, which, however, does not belong to the seventh stator module unit 87, but rather forms an eighth stator module unit 88. The sixth stator module 66 is a stator module 75 which terminates the seventh strand 57.

Within the first strand 51, the second strand 52, the third strand 53, the fourth strand 54, the fifth strand 55, the sixth strand 56 and the seventh strand 57, a method as already described can be carried out to convert the first stator module unit 81 to determine the second stator module unit 82, the third stator module unit 83, the fourth stator module unit 84, the fifth stator module unit 85, the sixth stator module unit 86 and the seventh stator module unit 87. In the first strand 51, for example, a first control signal is sent to the first stator module 61 output, receive a positive first detection signal from the second stator module 62, then output a first control signal to the second stator module 62 and receive a positive second detection signal from the third stator module 63, then output a first control signal to the third stator module 63 and a positive third detection signal from the fourth Receive stator module 64, then output a first control signal to fourth stator module 64 and receive a positive fourth detection signal from fifth stator module 65, then output a first control signal to fifth stator module 65 and receive a positive fifth detection signal from sixth stator module 66, then receive a first control signal output to the sixth stator module 66 and receive a positive sixth detection signal from the seventh stator module 67, then output a first control signal to the seventh stator module 67 and a positive seventh detection signal received by the eighth stator module 68 and then output a first control signal to the eighth stator module 68 and receive a positive eighth detection signal from the ninth stator module 69. Since it is known, for example through the auto-increment method already described or through manual addressing, that the first strand 51 does not go beyond the ninth stator module 69, all neighborhood relationships 30 with the respective location, position and orientation of the individual stator modules 60 within the first strand 51 determined. It can happen that it is not the first output of the corresponding control signal to one of the stator modules that leads to a positive detection signal, but only one of the corresponding further control signals if, for example, in the case of the seventh stator module 67, the edge area opposite the sixth stator module 66 is initially energized.

In the second strand 52, in the third strand 53, in the fourth strand 54, in the fifth strand 55 and in the sixth strand 56, the method is carried out analogously to the first strand 51. In the seventh strand 57, the method is carried out as described for the first stator module 61, the second stator module 62, the third stator module 63 and the fourth stator module 64, a first control signal is output to the first stator module 61, and a positive first detection signal is received by the second stator module 62 , then output a first control signal to the second stator module 62 and receive a positive second detection signal from the third stator module 63, then output a first control signal to the third stator module 63 and receive a positive third detection signal from the fourth stator module 64, then a first control signal to the fourth Stator module 64 output and a positive fourth detection signal from the fifth stator module 65 received. Then a first control signal output to the fifth stator module 65. Since the sixth stator module 66 is within the seventh line 57 in the communication structure adjacent to the fifth stator module 65, it is not spatially, as in FIG Fig. 9 can be seen, there is no positive fifth detection signal here. Since the sixth stator module 66 in the seventh strand 57 is the last one within the seventh strand 57, no additional neighborhood relationship 30 is now determined. The first stator module 61, the second stator module 62, the third stator module 63, the fourth stator module 64 and the fifth stator module 65 form the seventh stator module unit 87, while the sixth stator module 66 forms the eighth stator module unit 88. If a seventh stator module were present in the seventh strand 57, the method would be continued for the sixth stator module. This could result, for example, in the seventh stator module also belonging to the eighth stator module unit 88.

Fig. 10 shows the first stator module unit 81, second stator module unit 82, third stator module unit 83, fourth stator module unit 84, fifth stator module unit 85, sixth stator module unit 86, seventh stator module unit 87 and eighth stator module unit 88, after using a method described above, for example using second signals and / or edge control signals and corresponding Detection signals also unit neighborhood relationships 79 between the stator module units 80 were determined. It can be provided that conductor strips 20 arranged at edges 90 of stator module units 80 are energized and magnetic fields generated thereby are measured by magnetic field sensors 15 in other stator module units, thus determining unit-neighborhood relationships 79.

It can be provided that the unit neighborhood relationship 79 between the seventh stator module unit 87 and the eighth stator module unit 88 is determined first. This can be based on the assumption that due to the arrangement of the seventh stator module unit 87 and the eighth stator module unit 88 in the seventh strand 57, there is a spatial proximity of the seventh stator module unit 87 and the eighth stator module unit 88.

In one exemplary embodiment, a control signal is additionally output with which a runner 2 is controlled via an established neighborhood relationship 30 and / or unit neighborhood relationship 79.

In one exemplary embodiment, after the neighborhood relationship 30 and / or a unit neighborhood relationship 79 has been determined, a rotor control signal is output. A rotor 2 can be moved from a stator module 60 to a further stator module 60 or from the first stator module 61 to the second stator module 62 or from the first stator module unit 81 to the second stator module unit 82 on the basis of the rotor control signal. The determined neighborhood relationship 30 makes it possible to move a traveling field from one stator module 60 to another stator module 60 or from the first stator module 61 to the second stator module 62 or from the first stator module unit 81 to the second stator module unit 82 and thereby control a rotor movement.

Fig. 11 FIG. 2 shows a method flow 200 of a configuration method, where neighborhood relationships 30 are within one of the FIGS Figs. 7-10 communication paths 50 shown are to be determined. In an optional addressing step 201, the stator modules 60 can be addressed within the communication path 50 as already described, for example by the auto-increment method. In a first output and reception step 202, a first control signal is output to a first stator module 61 of communication path 50, the first control signal including energizing conductor strips 20 in a first edge region 25 of first stator module 61 and receiving a signal from a second stator module 62 . In a first decision step 203 it is checked whether a positive first detection signal is present. A positive first detection signal is present when the energization of the conductor strips 20 of the first stator module 61 triggered by the first control signal has led to a measurement of a magnetic field by magnetic field sensors 15 of the second stator module 62. If there is a positive first detection signal, a first neighborhood relationship 7 is determined in a first determination step 210.

However, if there is no positive first detection signal, a further first control signal is output to the first stator module 61 of the communication path 50 in a second output and reception step 204, the further first control signal including further conductor strips 20 in a further first edge region 26 of the first stator module 61 to energize and to receive a signal from a second stator module 62. In a second decision step 205 it is checked whether a positive first detection signal is present. If there is a positive first detection signal, the first neighborhood relationship 7 is determined in the first determination step 210.

However, if there is no positive first detection signal, a further first control signal is output to the further first stator module 61 of the communication path 50 in a third output and receiving step 206, the first control signal including further conductor strips 20 in a further first edge region 26 of the first stator module 61 to energize and to receive a signal from a second stator module 62. In a third decision step 207 it is checked whether a positive first detection signal is present. If there is a positive first detection signal, the first neighborhood relationship 7 is determined in the first determination step 210.

If, however, there is no positive first detection signal, a further first control signal is output to the first stator module 61 of the communication path 50 in a fourth output and reception step 208, the further first control signal including further conductor strips 20 in a further first edge region 26 of the first stator module 61 to energize and to receive a signal from a second stator module 62. In a fourth decision step 209 it is checked whether a positive first detection signal is present. If there is a positive first detection signal, the first neighborhood relationship 7 is determined in the first determination step 210. Depending on the design of the stator modules, more or fewer output and reception steps can also be provided. The previous description is appropriate for stator modules with four outer edges. In the case of stator modules with, for example, five outer edges, an analog output and reception step would be added to the process sequence.

Then, in a fifth output and reception step 211, a first control signal is output to the second stator module 62 of the communication path 50, the first control signal including energizing conductor strips 20 in a second edge area 28 of the second stator module 62 and adding a signal to a third stator module 63 receive. The fifth output and reception step 211 is also carried out if the fourth decision step 209 did not lead to a positive first detection signal; the first determination step 210 is then omitted here. In a fifth decision step 212 it is checked whether a positive second detection signal is present. A positive second detection signal is present when the energization of the conductor strips 20 of the second stator module 62 triggered by the second control signal has led to a measurement of a magnetic field by magnetic field sensors 15 of the third stator module 63. If there is a positive second detection signal, a second neighborhood relationship 8 is determined in a second determination step 219.

If, however, there is no positive second detection signal, a further first control signal is output to the second stator module 62 of the communication path 50 in a sixth output and reception step 213, the further first control signal containing further conductor strips 20 in a further second edge area 29 of the second stator module 62 to energize and to receive a signal from a third stator module 63. In a sixth decision step 214, it is checked whether a positive second detection signal is present. If there is a positive second detection signal, the second neighborhood relationship 8 is determined in the second determination step 219.

However, if there is no positive second detection signal, a further first control signal is output to the second stator module 62 of the communication path 50 in a seventh output and reception step 215, the further first control signal including further conductor strips 20 in a further second edge area 29 of the second stator module 62 to energize and to receive a signal from a third stator module 63. In a seventh decision step 216 it is checked whether a positive second detection signal is present. If there is a positive second detection signal, the second neighborhood relationship 8 is determined in the second determination step 219.

If, however, there is no positive second detection signal, a further second control signal is output to the second stator module 62 of the communication path 50 in an eighth output and reception step 217, the further second control signal including further conductor strips 20 in a further second edge area 29 of the second stator module 62 to energize and to receive a signal from a third stator module 63. In an eighth decision step 218 it is checked whether a positive second detection signal is present. If there is a positive second detection signal, the first neighborhood relationship 8 is determined in the second determination step 219.

The method can then be continued with a ninth output and reception step 220, in which a first control signal is output to the third stator module 63 and a signal from a fourth stator module 64 is received. From here on, the corresponding method steps are repeated until all of the stator modules 60 of the communication path 50 have been taken into account or until a signal has been received from the last of the stator modules 60 of the communication path 50.

As long as neighborhood relationships 30 are established between stator modules 60 that are adjacent in communication path 50, these stator modules 60 can then correspond to stator module units 80 of FIG Figs. 8-10 be assigned.

Fig. 12 shows a further method sequence 400 of an alternative configuration method, wherein neighborhood relationships 30 within a planar drive system 1 are to be determined. In a first output step 401, a first control signal is output to any stator module 60 of the planar drive system 1, the stator module 60 then functioning as a transmitting stator module 10 and all further stator modules 60 of the planar drive system 1 functioning as receiving stator modules 14. The first control signal includes energizing conductor strips 20 in a first edge region 25 of transmitting stator module 20. In a first checking step 402, it is determined whether one of the receiving stator modules 14 has received a detection signal based on the magnetic field. If a detection signal is received from an edge area of one of the receiving stator modules 14, a neighborhood relationship 30 between the two stator modules is ascertained in a first ascertainment step 210 and, for example, is established as the first proximity relationship 7. If it is determined in the first checking step 402 that none of the receiving stator modules 14 has received a detection signal, then in a determining step 404 the corresponding first edge region 25 of the transmitting stator module 10 is determined as the outer boundary of the planar drive system 1.

Either after the determination of a neighborhood relationship 30 in the first determination step 210 or after the determination of an outer border in the determination step 404, a second checking step 405 checks whether a check for a neighborhood relationship 30 or an outer border has been carried out in the transmitting station module 10 for all edge areas. If this check has not yet been carried out for all edge areas, the process flow 400 jumps back to the first output step 401 for the edge areas that have not yet been checked. If it is determined in the second check step 405 that a check for a neighborhood relationship 30 or an outer border for all edge areas of the Transmitting stator module 10 has been carried out, in a change step 406 the function of the stator modules 60 of the planar drive system 1 is changed in such a way that another of the stator modules 60 function as the transmitting stator module 10 and all further stator modules 60 then function as the receiving stator modules 14. The method sequence 400 then jumps back to the first output step 401 for the transmission station module 10 that has now been established.

The neighborhood relationships 30 determined with the method sequence 400 in the first determination step 210, in particular the location, position and orientation of the individual neighborhood relationships 30, and / or the outer boundaries of the planar drive system 1 determined in the second determination step 404 can be stored in a storage step 407 in a reference table so that the control unit 5 can output a control signal with which a runner 2 is controlled via an established neighborhood relationship 30.

In one embodiment, the information stored in the reference table can also be used to repeat the method sequence 400 in the second checking step 405 only for the edge areas of the transmitting station module 10 for which no information has yet been stored in the reference table or through other information within the reference table can be derived.

The information stored in the reference table can, in one embodiment, also continue to be used to repeat the process sequence 400 in the change step 406 only for the stator modules 60 as transmission stator modules 10 for which no information has yet been stored in the reference table or through other information within the Reference table can be derived.

In all refinements of the method it can be provided to synchronize the stator modules 60 with one another in time in order to be able to assign a magnetic field triggered by the first control signal or second control signal and a detection of this magnetic field by means of a magnetic field sensor.

List of reference symbols

1

Planar propulsion system

2

runner

3

Runner bottom

4th

Magnet unit

5

Control unit

6th

electric wire

7th

first neighborhood relationship

8th

second neighborhood relationship

9

further neighborhood relationship

10

Transmitting station module

11

Stator sector

12th

Stator surface

13

Stator structure

14th

Receiving stator module

15th

Magnetic field sensor

16

spatially closed area

17th

continuous stator surface

18th

Arithmetic unit

19th

Communication port

20th

Ladder strips

21st

first conductor strip level

22nd

second conductor strip level

23

third level of ladder strips

24

fourth ladder strip level

25th

first edge area

26th

further first edge area

27

Star point

28

second border area

29

further second edge area

30th

Neighborhood relationship

31

first ladder strip

32

another first ladder strip

33

Kitchen sink

41

first connection

42

second connection

43

third connection

50

Communication path

51

first strand

52

second strand

53

third strand

54

fourth strand

55

fifth strand

56

sixth strand

57

seventh strand

61

first stator module

62

second stator module

63

third stator module

64

fourth stator module

65

fifth stator module

66

sixth stator module

67

seventh stator module

68

eighth stator module

69

ninth stator module

70

tenth stator module

71

eleventh stator module

75

final stator module

79

Unit neighborhood relationship

80

Stator module unit

81

first stator module unit

82

second stator module unit

83

third stator module unit

84

fourth stator module unit

85

fifth stator module unit

86

sixth stator module unit

87

seventh stator module unit

88

eighth stator module unit

90

Edge

100

Outer edge

101

X axis

102

y-axis

103

z-axis

200

Procedure

201

(optional) addressing step

202

first output and reception step

203

first decision step

204

second output and reception step

205

second decision step

206

third output and reception step

207

third decision step

208

fourth output and reception step

209

fourth decision step

210

first determination step

211

fifth output and reception step

212

fifth decision step

213

sixth output and reception step

214

sixth decision step

215

seventh output and reception step

216

seventh decision step

217

eighth output and reception step

218

eighth decision step

219

second determination step

220

ninth output and reception step

400

further procedure

401

first output step

402

first verification step

404

Determination step

405

second verification step

406

Alternating step

407

Filing step

Claims (15)

Method for configuring a planar drive system (1), the planar drive system (1) having a plurality of adjoining stator modules (60) for driving at least one rotor (2), with at least two stator modules (60) each having outer edges (100) facing one another and thereby there is a spatial proximity relationship (30) between the at least two stator modules (60), the stator modules (60) each having conductor strips (20) for generating a magnetic field and each having magnetic field sensors (15) for detecting a magnetic field, with the following steps: - Output of a first control signal in a first output step to at least one transmitting stator module (10) of the stator modules (60), the first control signal including that at least one conductor strip (20) is to be energized in the transmitting stator module (10); - Determining a neighborhood relationship (30) between the transmitting stator module (10) and a receiving stator module (14) of the stator modules (60) in a first determination step (210), the first control signal and a positive first detection signal being taken into account when determining the neighborhood relationship (30) The positive first detection signal includes that at least one magnetic field sensor (15) of the receiving stator module (14) has determined a magnetic field. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is repeated until all the proximity relationships (30) between all stator modules (60) have been determined, the stator modules (60) being or being designed both as transmitting stator modules (10) and as receiving stator modules (14). act. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the stator modules (60) are connected to one another in terms of data technology via a communication bus, the first control signal and the first positive detection signal being part of a telegram or several telegrams of the communication bus. Method according to claim 3, wherein individual or a plurality of stator modules (60) of the planar drive system (1) are each connected to a communication path (50) of the communication bus in a line topology, the communication path (50) having an uninterrupted communication link and the stator modules ( 60) of a communication path (50) a spatially closed area (16) with a continuous Form the stator surface (17) of the planar drive system (1), wherein the planar drive system (1) can have one or more communication paths (50) of the communication bus. Method according to Claim 4, the neighborhood relationships (30) within the communication path (50) being determined for each communication path (50) of the communication bus in such a way that a first stator module (61) of the communication path (50) is initially defined as the transmitting stator module (10) and a second stator module (62) of the communication path (50) is initially defined as a receiving stator module (14), the first control signal including at least one first conductor strip (31) of the conductor strips (20) in a first edge region (25) of the transmitting stator module (10) to energize, wherein the first positive detection signal is determined when a magnetic field triggered by the first control signal is measured by means of the magnetic field sensors (15) of the receiving stator module (14) and thus the neighborhood relationship (30) as the first neighborhood relationship (7) along the first edge area ( 25) of the transmitter stator module (10) between the transmitter stator module (10) and the receiver tator module (14) of the stator modules (60) is determined and if no magnetic field triggered by the first control signal is measured by means of the magnetic field sensors (15) of the receiving stator module (14), no first proximity relationship (7) along the first edge region (25) of the transmitting stator module (10) is determined between the transmitting stator module (10) and the receiving stator module (14) of the stator modules (60), wherein if the first neighborhood relationship (7) is not determined, further first control signals are output one after the other such that further first conductor strips (32) of the Conductor strips (20) are energized in further first edge areas (26) of the transmitting station module (10) until a first proximity relationship (7) between the transmitting station module (10) and the receiving stator module (14) has been determined or no further first edge areas (26) of the transmitting station module (10) are present, after the determination of the first neighborhood relationship (7) the second stator module (62 ) is set as the transmitting stator module (10) and a third stator module (63) of the communication path (50) as the receiving stator module (14) and the method is repeated until a stator module (75) of the communication path (50) that terminates the communication path (50) is Receiving stator module (14) is established and thus no further neighborhood relationships (30) between stator modules (60) of the communication path (50) can be determined. The method according to claim 5, wherein the planar drive system (1) has a plurality of communication paths (50) which each form a stator module unit (80), at least two stator modules (60) of different stator module units (80) each having outer edges (100) facing each other and thereby a spatial unit neighborhood relationship (79) exists between the at least two stator module units (80), with one stator module unit (80) being defined as the transmitting stator module unit and another stator module unit (80) as the receiving stator module unit to determine the location and position of the unit neighborhood relationships (79), with a The second control signal is output in such a way that the first conductor strips (31) and / or the further first conductor strips (32) of the conductor strips (20) in a first edge area (25) and / or a further first edge area (26) of the Transmit stator modules (10) of the transmit stator module unit b for which no neighborhood relationship (30) was determined within the communication path (50), a second positive detection signal being determined when a magnetic field triggered by the second control signal is measured by means of the magnetic field sensors (15) of the receiving stator modules (14) of the receiving stator module unit and so the unit neighborhood relationship (79) between the transmitting stator module unit and the receiving stator module unit of the stator module units (80) is determined and if no magnetic field triggered by the second control signal is measured by means of the magnetic field sensors (15) of the receiving stator module unit, no unit neighborhood relationship (79) between the transmitting stator module unit and the receiving stator module unit of the stator module units (80) is determined, wherein the method is repeated until all unit neighborhood relationships (79) between the stator module units (80) of the planar drive system (1) have been determined. The method according to claim 6, wherein the second control signal includes that all first conductor strips (31) and / or further first conductor strips (32) of the conductor strips (20) in a first edge area (25) and / or in the further first edge areas (26 ) the transmitting stator modules (10) of the transmitting stator module unit are energized for which no neighborhood relationship (30) has been determined within the communication path (50). Method according to one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the first control signal includes energizing at least one conductor strip (20) in a first edge region (25) of the transmitting stator module (10), the magnetic field sensors (15) at least some of the edge areas (28) of the stator modules (60) are assigned, and the positive first detection signal is determined based on the strength of the magnetic field measured by the magnetic field sensors (15) and thus the proximity relationship (30), as well as a location and position of the receiving stator module (14) is determined relative to the transmitter stator module (10). The method according to claim 8, wherein the first control signal includes energizing at least one first conductor strip (31) of the conductor strips (20) in a first edge region (25) of the transmitting station module (10), the first positive detection signal being determined when a through the The magnetic field triggered by the first control signal is measured by means of the magnetic field sensors (15) of the receiving stator module (14) and so the neighborhood relationship (30) is determined as the first neighborhood relationship (7) and, if no magnetic field triggered by the first control signal, by means of the magnetic field sensors (15) of the receiving stator module (14) no first proximity relationship (7) is determined between the transmitting stator module (10) and the receiving stator module (14) of the stator modules (60), with further first control signals one after the other after the determination or non-determination of the first proximity relationship (7) are output in such a way that further first conductor strips (32) of the conductor The strips (20) in further first edge areas (26) of the transmitting station module (10) are energized until either further proximity relationships (30) to further receiving stator modules (14) have been determined or not determined or no further first edge areas (26) of the transmitting station module (10) ) available. Method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the planar drive system (1) has a plurality of stator modules (60), one stator module (60) functioning as a transmitting stator module (10) and all further stator modules (60) functioning simultaneously as receiving stator modules (14), wherein the first control signal includes energizing at least one first conductor strip (31) of the conductor strips (20) in a first edge region (25) of the transmitting stator module (10), the first positive detection signal being determined when a magnetic field triggered by the first control signal is Magnetic field sensors (15) of one of the receiving stator modules (14) is measured and so the neighborhood relationship (30) is determined as the first neighborhood relationship (7) between the transmitting stator module (10) and the receiving stator module (14) measuring the magnetic field, and if none is determined by the first control signal triggered magnetic field measured by means of the magnetic field sensors (15) of the receiving stator modules (14) the outer edge assigned to the first edge area (25) of the transmitting station module (10) is determined as the outer boundary of the planar drive system (1). The method according to claim 10, wherein the method is first repeated for the further first edge regions (26) of the transmitting station module (10) until all neighborhood relationships (30) or outer boundaries have been determined for the transmitting station module (10), in which case another stator module (60 ) of the planar drive system (1) acts as a transmitting stator module (10) and all other stator modules (60) simultaneously act as receiving stator modules (14), and the process is repeated until all neighborhood relationships (30) or external borders have been determined for all stator modules. The method according to claim 11, wherein the determined neighborhood relationships (30) or outer borders of the planar drive system (1) are stored in parallel in a reference table and the determination of the neighborhood relationships (30) or outer edges is only carried out for the stator modules (60) whose neighborhood relationships are (30) or outer edges have not yet been determined or result from the determined neighborhood relationships (30) or outer edges of other stator modules (60). Control unit (5), comprising a computing unit (18) and a communication connection (19), wherein control signals can be output via the communication connection (19) and detection signals can be received via the communication connection (19), the computing unit (18) being set up, to carry out one of the methods of claims 1 to 12. Computer program, comprising program code which, executed on a computing unit (18), causes the computing unit (18) to carry out the method according to one of Claims 1 to 12. Planar drive system (1) with a plurality of stator modules (60), at least one rotor (2) and the control unit (5) according to Claim 13.

Images